Slide scanner and auto-teaching method of slide scanner

Abstract

An embodiment relates to a slide scanner including an image capturing part configured to capture an image of a slide, and a loader including a gripper configured to grip the slide and load the slide onto the image capturing part or unload the slide loaded onto the image capturing part, in which the gripper is configured to grip a teaching jig including at least one detection part, and in which the slide scanner further includes a controller configured to control the loader so that the teaching jig moves to a teaching point at a predetermined position, the controller being configured to set a control reference for the loader by receiving a signal indicating that the detection part of the teaching jig is detected to be in contact with or in proximity to the teaching point.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A slide scanner comprising: 
 an image capturing part configured to capture an image of a slide; and   a loader comprising a gripper configured to grip the slide and load the slide onto the image capturing part or unload the slide loaded onto the image capturing part,   wherein the gripper is configured to grip a teaching jig comprising at least one detection part, and   wherein the slide scanner further comprises a controller configured to control the loader so that the teaching jig moves to a teaching point at a predetermined position, the controller being configured to set a control reference for the loader by receiving a signal indicating that the detection part of the teaching jig is detected to be in contact with or in proximity to the teaching point.   
     
     
         2 . The slide scanner of  claim 1 , wherein the teaching jig comprises: 
 a body configured to be gripped by a finger of the gripper; and   the detection part provided on a mounting part connected to the body.   
     
     
         3 . The slide scanner of  claim 2 , wherein the detection part comprises a first detection part, a second detection part, and a third detection part respectively corresponding to an X-axis direction, a Y-axis direction, and a Z-axis direction. 
     
     
         4 . The slide scanner of  claim 3 , wherein the detection part is configured as any one of a micro-switch, a contact sensor, or a proximity sensor, and a sensing signal of the detection part is transmitted to the controller in a wired or wireless manner. 
     
     
         5 . The slide scanner of  claim 1 , wherein the teaching point comprises at least one of a first teaching point corresponding to an X-axis direction, a second teaching point corresponding to a Y-axis direction, or a third teaching point corresponding to a Z-axis direction. 
     
     
         6 . The slide scanner of  claim 5 , wherein the first teaching point, the second teaching point, and the third teaching point are respectively formed as surfaces perpendicular to the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction. 
     
     
         7 . The slide scanner of  claim 5 , wherein the first teaching point comprises a first-first sub-teaching point and a first-second sub-teaching point formed at a predetermined interval in the X-axis direction, the second teaching point comprises a second-first sub-teaching point and a second-second sub-teaching point formed at a predetermined interval in the Y-axis direction, and the third teaching point comprises a third-first sub-teaching point and a third-second sub-teaching point formed at a predetermined interval in the Z-axis direction. 
     
     
         8 . The slide scanner of  claim 5 , wherein the controller corrects position information of the teaching point in response to a signal of the detection part of the teaching jig. 
     
     
         9 . The slide scanner of  claim 7 , wherein the controller corrects a driving control value of the loader in response to a detection signal of the detection part at the first-first and first-second sub-teaching points, the second-first and second-second sub-teaching points, or the third-first and third-second sub-teaching points. 
     
     
         10 . The slide scanner of  claim 1 , wherein the teaching point is a main stage of the image capturing part. 
     
     
         11 . The slide scanner of  claim 10 , wherein the controller determines whether the main stage and the loader are abnormal by comparing a displacement by which the main stage is moved and a displacement of the gripper detected by the detection part of the teaching jig. 
     
     
         12 . The slide scanner of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a slide rack having at least one slide storage part configured to store the slide,   wherein a rack position correction jig having a rack teaching portion is configured to be inserted into the slide rack, and   wherein the controller corrects position information of the slide rack by controlling the loader so that the detection part of the teaching jig is in contact with or in proximity to the rack teaching portion.   
     
     
         13 . The slide scanner of  claim 12 , wherein the rack teaching portion comprises at least one of a first rack teaching portion corresponding to an X-axis direction, a second rack teaching portion corresponding to a Y-axis direction, or a third rack teaching portion corresponding to a Z-axis direction. 
     
     
         14 . An auto-teaching method for the slide scanner according to  claim 1 , the auto- teaching method comprising: 
 step (a) of moving, by the controller, the gripper, which grips the teaching jig, to the teaching point;    step (b) of receiving, by the controller, a detection signal, which indicates that the detection part of the teaching jig is in contact with or in proximity to the teaching point, from the detection part of the teaching jig; and   step (c) of correcting, by the controller, position information of the teaching point or correcting a driving control value of the gripper in response to the detection signal.   
     
     
         15 . The auto-teaching method of  claim 14 , wherein the teaching point comprises a plurality of sub-teaching points formed at predetermined intervals in any one direction, the detection signal at the plurality of sub-teaching points is received in steps (a) and (b), and an error in a movement amount of the gripper is calculated in step (c). 
     
     
         16 . The auto-teaching method of  claim 14 , wherein the teaching point is a main stage provided in the image capturing part and configured such that the slide is loaded onto the main stage, steps (a) and (b) are performed in a state in which the controller moves the main stage to a first position, steps (a) and (b) are performed in a state in which the controller moves the main stage to a second position, and a displacement of the main stage and a displacement of the gripper are compared in step (c). 
     
     
         17 . The auto-teaching method of  claim 14 , wherein the teaching point comprises at least one of a first teaching point corresponding to an X-axis direction, a second teaching point corresponding to a Y-axis direction, or a third teaching point corresponding to a Z-axis direction. 
     
     
         18 . The auto-teaching method of  claim 14 , wherein the slide scanner further comprises a slide rack having at least one slide storage part configured to store the slide, 
  wherein a rack position correction jig having a rack teaching portion is configured to be inserted into the slide rack, and    wherein the auto-teaching method further comprises step (d) of correcting, by the controller, position information of the slide rack by controlling the loader so that the detection part of the teaching jig is in contact with or in proximity to the rack teaching portion.